Back in December, Sutton Dinghy Club member Austin O’Carroll helped qualify the three-man Irish Paralympic Sonar sailing team for the Rio Olympics at the 2015 Para Worlds Sailing Championship in Melbourne, Australia. This will be a record making 11th appearance at an Olympic Games for John Twomey, a 2nd for Ian Costello but a first for local Dublin doctor and Sutton Dinghy Club member Austin O’Carroll.
Last Thursday evening in the Clubhouse, Austin gave us a very enjoyable talk on how they qualified but also some insight into his initial interest sailing, owning the IDRA 14 DR. JP FROG and his involvement in the various aspects of disability awareness, coaching and promoting disability sailing. Austin’s explained why his fitness and sailing skills have had to improve considerably, the positive impacts on his own health and how his communications training and skills have been used to good measure on the boat.
The trio head to the Sailing World Cup regatta in Hyeres, France this Sunday with recent results indicating significant improvements have been made and with quiet confidence they will continue to improve between now and September in Rio.
Commodore Jim Lambkin presented Austin with a small token to mark his qualification for Rio, wishing the trio well for the rest of the Summer.
[whohit]-Presentation to Austin O’C-[/whohit]